Various control and monitoring systems for appliances have previously been disclosed in prior patents by the inventor of the present invention. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,786 discloses an electronic control for an electronic appliance. The control has a ferrite core which surrounds the run winding for the drive motor of the appliance. The run winding represents the primary winding for the ferrite core, which has a secondary winding at which a brief output voltage is generated whenever the run winding current changes direction. This sensor in combination with a voltage zero cross detector circuit and post-connected logic circuitry generates a voltage pulse and a phase pulse which are respectively related to the voltage level of the drive motor and the motor output torque which is required to operate a movable member in the appliance. A microcomputer is then utilized to generate a representative digital phase number which corresponds to the torque expended in the appliance. The phase number is utilized in various programs of the microcomputer for automatically controlling various functions of the appliance as well as other events in an operational sequence upon the attainment of selected torque levels.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,006,778 and 5,166,592 disclose a motor diagnostics and electronic controller for a clothes dryer. The controller includes a single sense-winding that is threaded through sensors monitoring drive motor current and heater current, and that generates an output voltage each time the alternating motor or heater current passes through a zero-crossing. The control monitors the ON/OFF condition of the heater and samples the lagging phase angle of the motor current, to provide an improved means of detecting when the clothes load is dry by measuring variation in motor torque due to minute differences in the way that the clothes load is tumbling from one drum revolution to the next revolution, ignoring cyclical, repetitive variation due to uneven drum rotational friction. Numerous diagnostic conditions are also monitored at the start of each cycle, or, throughout each cycle, including: 208 or 240 VAC service voltage indentification; motor start detection; drum acceleration detection; empty drum or drying rack detection; motor or heater open/short circuit detection; open door detection; broken belt detection; and restricted air flow detection.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,101,575 and 5,281,956 disclose a heater diagnostics and electronic control for a clothes dryer. The control monitors the ON/OFF condition of the heater and samples the lagging phase angle of the motor current, and provides an improved means of detecting when the clothes load is dry. Numerous heater related diagnostic conditions are also monitored at the start of each cycle, or, throughout each cycle, including: heater ground fault detection; 208 or 240 VAC service voltage identification; heater open/short circuit detection; open door detection; heater box thermostat cycling; and restricted air flow detection.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,130,624 and 5,237,256 disclose an electronic control for an automatic washing machine with a reversing PSC (Permanent Split Capacitor) motor. The control includes separate ferrite core sensors surrounding each of two PSC motor windings. A sense-winding is threaded through both sensors. A brief output voltage is generated whenever the alternating current in either PSC motor winding passes through a zero-crossing and when the sense-winding is wound with proper mutual polarity, an output voltage is generated in response to zero-crossings of a brief, residual alternating current which flows in both PSC motor windings and the motor capacitor when the rotating PSC motor is cycled OFF. The circuitry, in combination with the sensors, samples the leading or lagging phase angle of the PSC motor auxiliary or main winding, respectively, at a sample rate of two-times the line frequency when the PSC motor is ON; and further monitors the PSC motor braking phenomena by counting the residual current alternations when the PSC motor is cycled OFF following the powered portion of each CW or CCW agitator stroke. The raw PSC motor phase data is used in microcomputer programs to compute motor start time or load torque dither. This computed information and the PSC motor braking data, is used by other software programs to automatically control various functions of the washing machine such as the fill water level and agitator stroke angle; to control events in an operational sequence such as the duration of the agitation and spin operations; and to provide diagnostic information such as spin off-balance detection.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,091 and 5,280,227 disclose a control for a domestic refuse compactor which permits the user to control the approximate full trash bag weight and obtain more compaction from a split phase induction drive motor. A ferrite core sensor on the main winding of the drive motor samples the lagging phase angle of the motor main winding current during a compaction stroke. A low force cycle is achieved by terminating the stroke as soon as phase samples fall below a threshold defined at the start of each cycle by a locked motor main winding phase sample acquired prior to starting the motor. A medium force cycle terminates the stroke when compaction forces exceed the main winding breakdown torque. A high force cycle is achieved by re-activating a motor start winding when compaction forces exceed the main winding breakdown torque and terminating the stroke as soon as the phase samples exceed a threshold defined at the start of each cycle during motor starting. The control uses programmed referencing techniques to eliminate factory pre-calibration.
Each of the prior art designs include a sensor that is positioned within an appliance that is being monitored or controlled. However, none of these references provide a system for monitoring an appliance from a remote location.